If an airport is ever closed, particularly in winter for snow clearing in Dublin, the controllers can get fairly chatty. Most are always up for a bit of banter though, but you'll never have a full conversation with them usually. Normally just a sentence or two.

 

Capt. Rónán O Cadhain.

I once heard a female controller at Manchester get really stroppy with a guy in a Cessna who was not following ATC instructions properly and who came into conflict with a BA 757 on finals to what was then RW 24 at EGCC. The Cessna was repeatedly turning left when being told 'negative, turn RIGHT IMMEDIATELY!' and he was straying into the glideslope area, so it was getting fairly serious. I actually put part of this conversation on the Avsim quotes section, where the pilot of a BA 757 reported, when asked how close the Cessna came to him, that 'if he was any closer, we could have added him to the passenger list'. The controller lost her cool for a second when the Cessna guy said 'there was no danger', her reply being: 'oh REALLY?!, you think?'.

 

As others have noted, if it is not busy, you can chat a little, but it stops if it needs to. Strictly speaking, you should not since brevity is the general rule for ATC comms, but in my experience, nobody really minds.

 

Al

Nice anecdote, Al. As always, you come with a gem.

Normally, atc chatter isn't a big concern. If your flying X Country on flight following your just looking for your next checkpoint, managing fuel, and keeping your eyes peeled for traffic.

I once heard a female controller at Manchester get really stroppy with a guy in a Cessna who was not following ATC instructions properly and who came into conflict with a BA 757 on finals to what was then RW 24 at EGCC.

Al

Do you remember the time when a GA aircraft landed on RWY 24L at Manchester while it was under construction? It was back in the late 90's...

Rugby results in Dublin...

 

Rugby results in Dublin...

 

I had that happen on an Air New Zealand flight back in the 90's. Was on a 744 from LAX to AKL and got to visit the cockpit shortly before landing and when I walked in the pilots were asking ATC about the All Blacks score from the previous evening. Thought it was kinda cool as I'd never heard something like that before.

The controller lost her cool for a second when the Cessna guy said 'there was no danger', her reply being: 'oh REALLY?!, you think?'.

 

Her response should have been, "There is to your Certificate"

Yeah talking to Socal the other day approaching John Wayne some idiot of a helicopter wasn't even on frequency and going up and down in our track while we wanted to descend. Had a little chat as Airspace wasn't too busy, also on Ground control my Instructor joking around with him;

 

"Sportstar 125MX taxi via H, A to dovest give way to the Cirrus on the left, give you the more scenic route today haha"

"Was it something I said?"

..Then it went from there ha! Where I'm from the UK I'm use to ATC always being serious etc which it should but it seems the guys over here like to joke around a bit more. My friend on approach to JFK was saying APP said something along the lines off..

 

"Emirates 203 Slam dunk 230"

"Emirates 203, Excuse me? English please?

"Emirates 203, TURN heading 230"

 

That seemed to annoy them on the Flight Deck ha! It really does depend on the Controller and the Pilot. And their moods..

I fly deep nights mainly and it is normally very quite except for the occassional frequency change. The controllers who are native English speakers tend to talk to me more than non-native English speakers. Military controllers talk as much as anyone. Most conversations are usually no more than two or three sentences. A lot of controllers seem to want to know where I'm from with my accent. :)

 

Billy Bluestar

I've had experience in both US and EU airspace with ATC, and US controllers seem to be much more chatty. Of course it depends on the mood his in, how busy they are and so on. However US controllers seem to use a lot of non-standard phraseology compared to the EU controllers. ICAO is supposed to be the standard around the world, even for radio, and I learned radio in the US, but I've been corrected countless of times in EU. I do have a ICAO level 6 radio certificate now, which I acquired in the EU. However I still prefer the US ATCs because most of them can take a joke. From my experience, ATC in Europe is slightly more strict.

 

Funny story. I was flying northbound along the eastcoast of Florida when switching from Miami Center to Jacksonville Center. The controller was saying goodbye in different languages to aircrafts leaving his airspace. Like contact jacksonville center on xxx.xx au revoir or buenos noches. So when we got switched over to Jacksonville I said auf wiedersehen. It sounded like he enjoyed that somebody was saying something differently back to him instead of the usual spanish replies he got We where a handful on the flight school that I went to in Florida, that was on first name basis with some of the controllers at the airport. Getting out in the weekends getting a beer or two and having BBQ's!

 

Apparently it is quite normal for airlines here in Australia to invite along ATC's in the jumpseat so that the ATC's can see what goes on on the other side of the microphone in the cockpit. Pilots also have the opportunity to hang in the tower to see what life is like as an ATC. Helps build an appreciation for what each does in their different aviation careers and should be done a lot more often in my opinion.

Apparently it is quite normal for airlines here in Australia to invite along ATC's in the jumpseat so that the ATC's can see what goes on on the other side of the microphone in the cockpit. Pilots also have the opportunity to hang in the tower to see what life is like as an ATC. Helps build an appreciation for what each does in their different aviation careers and should be done a lot more often in my opinion.

 

Oh yes, definitely helps for a better understanding and appreciation for both sides. I agree that it should be done a lot more as well. I rarely hear about ATC getting into the jumpseat, but more often about pilots getting up in the tower.

Do you remember the time when a GA aircraft landed on RWY 24L at Manchester while it was under construction? It was back in the late 90's...

 

Yup. I do remember that, apparently they too must have been off the day the instructor explained about the difference between left and right. Maybe it was the same guy!

 

Al

As an UK ATCO I could offer my input but as the question was directed at pilots, I probably shouldn't. :lol:

 

We tend to keep things pretty standard in order to keep things moving along however if a situation requires it the chatter may go off piste for a moment or two. But, as someone has already said somewhere else in this post, it is usually one or two lines from each party.

This is a classic :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgCAbTMC3Qg

 

Another one :)